RED LETTER DAY

Royal Mail installs scanners and solar panels

- BY LEVI WINCHESTER

ROYAL Mail has announced the biggest design change in 175 years to its iconic red postboxes including solar power and parcel scanners.

The postal service is rolling out 3500 solar-powered "postboxes of the future" following a successful pilot earlier this year, with Edinburgh one of the first cities to get the new version.

The design will feature a barcode scanner which will open a drop-down drawer for parcels.

This will be powered by a solar panel, which will be positioned south for optimal sunlight.